There is evidence that cellular hydration state is an important factor controlling cellular protein turnover; protein synthesis and protein degradation are affected in opposite directions by cell swelling and shrinking. An increase in cellular hydration (swelling) acts as an anabolic proliferative signal, whereas cell shrinkage is catabolic and antiproliferative. The cellular hydration state is mainly determined by the activity of ion and substrate transport systems in the plasma membrane. Hormones, substrates, and oxidative stress can change the cellular hydration state within minutes, thereby affecting protein turnover. We postulate that a decrease in cellular hydration in liver and skeletal muscle triggers the protein catabolic states that accompany various diseases.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Enduring DiscomfortMissing Our Old Habits

Sometimes you may find yourself missing an old habit or pattern or having a craving for something that you have sworn off as a detriment to your lifestyle! This this is actually normal and happens to most of us from time to time or at first, daily.

Whenever we make the effort to free ourselves of an addiction or a habit we no longer need or want, we are often surprised to find ourselves missing it as if we are depriving ourselves of food, air, water or shelter...you know, survival. Yes, it sounds crazy because our brain tells is that we think we should instinctively gravitate toward that which is good for us. And yet, it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we humans are creatures of habit. This is why we gravitate to people and places—and patterns of behavior--that make us feel comfortable. Here's the bomb...many of the habits we form are not conscious and are based instead on learned behavior from role models, experiences or programming that might not always have had health in clear view.

Most addictions begin as a way of avoiding feelings that are extremely uncomfortable, so it makes sense that stopping the addiction means, for a time, a fair amount of discomfort. The same, of course, is true of habits that we have developed over time that we are ready to release. This is tough stuff, yep hard. Don't be so hard on yourself, work through it and stay the course. Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward. Create those new healthier patterns, and one day you won't even notice that you haven't looked back in a while. Take advantage of simple tools that can help your move past the emotional aspect of those habits. EFT, TFT and ERT are all great options.

Step up to the plate. If you have decided to make a change, keep it in your crosshairs, work through the self sabotage. You are worth it! Be confident! Remember that it will lead to the change we seek in our lives. Our bodies, hearts, and minds always need time to adjust to a new way of doing things, but they will adapt, and even become our allies, if we remain true to our vision of a new way.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Being Clear About Desires

Getting What We Want

The best way to get what we want from life is to first know what we want. If we haven't taken the time to really understand and identify what would truly make us happy, we won't be able to ask for it from those around us or from the universe. We may not even be able to recognize it once it arrives. Once we are clear about what we want, we can communicate it. When we can be honest about who we are and what we want, there is no need to demand, be rude or aggressive, or manipulate others that are involved in helping us get what we want. Instead, we know that we are transmitting a signal on the right frequency to bring all that we desire into our experience.

As the world evolves, humanity is learning to work from the heart. We may have been taught that the way to get what we want is to follow certain rules, play particular games, or even engage in acts that use less than our highest integrity. The only rules we need to apply are those of intention and connection. In terms of energy, we can see that it takes a lot of energy to keep up a false front or act in a way that is counter to our true nature, but much less energy is expended when we can just be and enjoy connections that energize us in return. Then our energy can be directed toward living the life we want right now.

Society has certain expectations of behavior and the roles each of us should play, but as spiritual beings we are not bound by these superficial structures unless we choose to accept them. Instead, we can listen to our hearts and follow what we know to be true and meaningful for us. In doing so, we will find others who have chosen the same path. It can be easy to get caught up in following goals that appear to be what we want, but when we pursue the underlying value, we are certain to stay on our right path and continue to feed our soul.